in Uganda

Listen to the Interview in English (Windows Media - 2.2 MB)

What is the link between a pastor and HIV /AIDS?

In 1991 I lost my wife to HIV and then in 1992 I tested myself and when they told me I was positive, that changed my life, because many people still associate HIV with sexual immorality. And for a religious leader to stand up and say, “I am positive”, is a great shock to many. The counselor asked me: “Man of God, what are you going to do?!” and I said, “I hadn’t come with a strategic plan, but I am sure the LORD God who created me will give me guidance on what to do”. Then I decided to tell people about my status for two reasons: One- as a religious leader if you are to be honest to yourself and to God, then you should tell people the truth. Secondly, I reasoned that if I kept quiet, I could miss out on the support and services that this disease needs. So churches across Africa began inviting me saying “We have a problem of stigma, of shame and denial… come and help us!” The ministry developed into an international ministry. In our movement we teach people three things: one, we help people to defeat self stigma, because most of the stigma is self-stigma; what you think about yourself. So we help people to accept themselves, and with that weapon they fight societal stigma and then they go into their congregations and form good responses on HIV/AIDS, and in the third level they become advocates in their national level responses.

So you had a real big problem, because as a religious leader you are supposed to be a role model, and as a HIV positive person, you are associated with someone who somehow got this through having a bad life. How did you cope with this?

That is very true. HIV-AIDS is associated with immoral behavior. That is where the source of stigma comes from. I have been teaching people to differentiate between unlawful and unsafe behaviour. Those are not the same things. Someone can have sex in marriage and get HIV. If someone says ‘I am positive’ and you conclude: “Ahhh, now I know he has been having bad behaviour”- that’s the wrong conclusion. It is the same as someone telling you “I had an accident “and you say “Oh, so you stole a car!” Unsafe behaviour can happen even when you are doing what is right. People should understand that first of all there are many other routes of infection beyond sex. Even within sex, you don’t have to be a prostitute to get HIV: Anyone who doesn’t have accurate information, anyone who lacks skills and services, is at risk of catching this virus. That is why we are so grateful to the Global Fund it is increasing awareness around AIDS. Malaria and Tuberculosis, because it is changing people’s attitudes to these diseases, now people know that we are dealing with diseases of poverty and inequality. It is giving us services: testing, ARV provision, opportunistic infection treatment… because many people in Africa are dying of preventable, treatable opportunistic infections which could be postponed. So because resources are mobilized and quickly disbursed to where they are needed, I say that the Global Fund is a very noble experiment that all of us should support.

So what is your link with the Global Fund?

I have been associated with the founders of the Global Fund especially right from 2001 when I was invited by the African Union to speak at the Abuja summit for Heads of State, and it is at that 2001 summit that the Global Fund was proposed. Then I was invited to the United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS and again I spoke at the Assembly, supporting Kofi Annan and team to bring this mechanism that mobilizes resources outside the traditional way of getting resources and quickly disburses it to where it is needed most. When people are sure that there is treatment, that “our dad is accessing treatment”, people can be more hopeful of the future, then they protect themselves better. Even among us who are positive. So many lives have been saved and the chain of transmission has been broken! My faith has increased, in knowing that God cares through friends. I want to tell people who are involved with the Global Fund not to get tired, because there is evidence that where effort has been sustained, these viruses and microbes tend to retreat. I want to encourage people: “Please don’t get tired; we will win some day.”